Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
February 25, 2015
Tourism Industry a Major Contributor to Province�s Economy
Gander Welcomes Biggest Tourism Industry Gathering in the Province
Gander is bustling with activity this week as it welcomes Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador�s Annual Conference and Trade Show. The largest gathering of tourism stakeholders in the province, the event provides participants with the opportunity to network and gather valuable information that will contribute to the tourism industry. The Honourable Paul Davis, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, addressed delegates today (Wednesday, February 25) at the conference�s luncheon. Premier Davis was joined by the Honorable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, who is participating in the conference and trade show.
�Newfoundland and Labrador has become a tourism destination that others emulate and aspire to, and we�ve seen a level of success that has led to increased visitation and fostered a vibrant industry. This vitality would not be possible without the vision and dedication of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. With more than 18,000 jobs in the tourism industry, I am pleased to see that our non-resident visitation has grown steadily over the past several years, and that the Provincial Government�s strategic investments in the industry have firmly established Newfoundland and Labrador as a premiere tourism destination.�
- The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
Year-end reports indicate the number of non-resident automobile, air and cruise visitors travelling to the province reached an estimated 507,901 visitors for the period ending December 2014, an increase of 2 per cent over 2013. Employment in the tourism industry represents approximately eight per cent of total jobs in the provincial economy, making the industry a significant part of building and sustaining the province�s business community. Additional information on the 2014 tourism season can be found in the backgrounder below.
�Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador is proud to once again host the largest industry-led gathering of tourism stakeholders in the province. The potential of tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador is tremendous and tourism operations rank among the most innovative businesses in our province, driving economic growth and offering employment in all regions. We are pleased, along with our partners and sponsors, to present a conference and trade show this year that will share new ways of maintaining our competitive edge and growing demand for Newfoundland and Labrador as a sustainable tourism destination.�
- Rex Avery, Chair, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador
Non-resident visitation includes travel by air, automobile and cruise ship, with air travel representing the largest traveller segment. Between 2009 and 2014, non-resident visitation increased 22 per cent, while non-resident tourism spending increased 36 per cent, reaching $491 million in 2014, the highest level of non-resident spending ever in the province. Additional Tourism statistics can be found by visiting //www.tcr.gov.nl.ca/tcr/stats/index.html.
QUICK FACTS
- The province�s largest gathering of tourism stakeholders, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador�s Annual Conference and Trade Show is taking place in Gander from February 24-26.
- The Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador conference will host a network of over 375 delegates from 150 different companies and more than 40 exhibitors.
- Information on Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador can be found by visiting www.hnl.ca.
- The number of non-resident automobile, air and cruise visitors travelling to the province reached an estimated 507,901 visitors for the period ending December 2014, an increase of 2 per cent over 2013.
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Media contacts:
|
Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development 709-729-4570, 693-1865 tansymundon@gov.nl.ca |
Leslie Thomas-Rossiter Manager, Policy and Communications Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador 709-722-2000 ext. 222 lrossiter@hnl.ca |
BACKGROUNDER
2014 Tourism Highlights
Overall, the number of non-resident automobile, air and cruise visitors travelling to the province reached an estimated 507,901 visitors for the period ending December 2014, an increase of 2 per cent over 2013.
The number of non-resident air visitors travelling to the province reached an estimated 388,436 visitors for the period ending December 2014, an increase of 5.8 per cent over 2013.
Marine Atlantic
Overall, Marine Atlantic passenger movement (both directions) reached 307,257 to the end of December 2014, a decrease of 6.7 per cent over last year. Passenger-related vehicle movement also decreased 5.7 per cent during the same period to 110,025 vehicles.
Air Passenger Movements
Airport activity (boarding and deplaning passenger movements) for St. John�s, Gander, Deer Lake, Stephenville, St. Anthony, Goose Bay and Wabush reached an estimated 2,420,206 passenger movements for the period ending December 2014, an increase of 6.4 per cent over the same time period in 2013.
Cruise
Cruise ship activity during the 2014 cruise season indicates that 20 ships made 69 port calls to 26 different ports/communities around the province with passenger and crew visits exceeding 53,800 people. This compares to 20 ships making 64 port calls to 23 different ports/communities with 61,800 passenger and crew visits during the 2013 cruise season.
Based on an examination of detailed cruise itineraries provided by Cruise Newfoundland and Labrador, the province is estimated to have received approximately 26,821 unique non-resident cruise visitors during the 2014 cruise season, a decrease of 13 per cent from the 2013 cruise season.
Accommodations
Accommodation occupancy as available (approximately 97 per cent coverage of all provincially licensed room nights) reached 51.3 per cent, for the period ending December 2014, a decrease of 0.3 points compared to the same period in 2013.
The average daily rate as available (approximately 97 per cent coverage of all provincially licensed room nights) reached $134 for the period ending November 2014, an increase of 4.8 per cent compared to last year.
Website Visits
Visits to newfoundlandlabrador.com reached 1,937,582 for the period ending December 2014, an increase of 3.4 per cent compared to the same period of 2013.